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Blue Table Painting
is looking for a full-time Admin/Artist position

Blue Table has been in business and steadily growing for three years. We have a crew of six full time and two part time staff.

See what we do:
www.bluetablepainting.com
See video of the studio and staff:
www.youtube.com/bluetablepainting

Job Description
· Maintain and focus advertising campaigns
· Write and publish project articles
· Maintain website (this requires no coding)
· Inventory and prepare projects
· Order materials for projects
· Acquire materials needed for the office
· Generally “anything that needs to be done”—the day to day administration of the studio
· Assemble, pin, and convert models
· Paint models

Start Date
Between February 5 and March 20, 2007.

Location
Blue Table Painting is located in Spanish Fork, Utah at 765 North Main Street. We have an attractive and spacious office studio in a well-known downtown building. Cost of living is very affordable in Utah.

Pay and Benefits
>> $1500 a month to start.
>> Discount on gaming materials of 30-40% off

Qualifications
>> Willing to relocate to Utah Valley, Utah.
>> Type at least 50 wpm with accuracy. Try www.typingtest.com
>> Have assembled and painted at least three full armies.
>> Able to work legally in the United States.
>> Have held a full time job for at least a year at some point in time.
>> Have reliable transportation.
>> Be familiar with most miniatures battles games
>> Microsoft Word and Excel
>> Excellent mental math and basic math skills (percentages)
>> Have at least passing familiarity with most miniatures battles games.
>> Experience in customer service or public relations a plus.
>> Be a non-smoker.

How to Apply
If you are interested, please send an email with “Admin-Artist Needed” as the subject line to Shawn Gately at jazzmouth@yahoo.com You will be sent an application/written interview. Phone is 801 372 8545

Why do you have to be a non-smoker to apply?

An advantage to working here is that the whole staff is non-smoking.

Each time I make the call for new hires this topic comes up.  People feel strongly about it one way or another.  I don't want to open a can of worms.  I have my reasons for not bringing on people who smoke, I'm sure anyone can guess why.

Shawn G.

Posted By bluetablepainting on 02/01/2007 12:23 PM

An advantage to working here is that the whole staff is non-smoking.

Each time I make the call for new hires this topic comes up.  People feel strongly about it one way or another.  I don't want to open a can of worms.  I have my reasons for not bringing on people who smoke, I'm sure anyone can guess why.

Shawn G.

Well, yes. It hurts vision when you're trying to snipe someone. Everyone who's watched Ronin knows that.

I'm assuming, since it's not listed, that there are no health benefits?   

Hey, I'm all in favor of random forms of discrimination that are socially acceptable, and even some that are marginally so.  A lot of this is because I usually end up next to the person on the plane whose love handles EAT the armrest.

About health benefits:

No benefits are offered.

I'd like to offer a few personal comments on this matter.  I worked in the public school system for 4.4 years.  During that time I had good coverage.   The district paid half the cost of the insurance.  The premimum was like $875.  I paid something like $450 a month, faithfully. So, I always thought I was lucky because there was no way I could pay for all of it on my own. 

When I quit and started working on my own, my wife (who worked for State Farm for many years) found coverage that was just as good for $390 a month (for a family of four).  So, basically I was overpaying all those years.  Why was that?  Because a group plan isn't necessarily better: all those years I was paying extra to cover for all the retirees and unhealthy people* bloating the system.

I assumed that the system would take care of me.  Well, they took care of me all right, like a farmer takes care of his cattle.

To buy your own health insurance for a single person costs $100-150 a month (roughly, I'm no expert).

Basically, I have a certain percentage of the gross sales that can go into payroll and we can still stay in business.  My mentality is to pay the maximum amount possible.  I want to to good and right by the people who have gathered under the banner.  How can I get that money to you in the most efficient manner possible?

Benefits are never free.  They get taken out of the money budgeted for payroll. 

Shawn G.

*probably some smoking-related illnesses in there I might add.

Shawn,

Thanks for the honest feedback. I sincerely wish you well in your endevour. However, I do have a serious question:

Is the cost of living in Spanish Fork cheap enough to exist on wages near the poverty line? Granted, no one is going to ever become a millionaire painting miniatures, but I would dare to say that a yearly salary only slightly above the new proposed minimum wage would be a hard sell to potential employees?

Tempting. It'd be a big pay cut for me, but I could use a change of scenery. Plus I could get the inside scoop on that top-secret dipping action!

This sounds more like a comment than a question, but I'll answer:

I'd like to do more for the artists and will more and more as time goes on.  The fortunes of the whole group will rise or fall depending on how the endeavor goes.  I'm not living the high life either, but I do what I love and I don't dread Mondays.  If you talk to people that work here you'll get the same story.

The cost of living is still very, very reasonable in Spanish Fork.  If you have a roommate you can expect your rent to be $300-400 a month.  A two-bedroom is running around $600-750 a month.   Last I checked, houses were still in the $130-190K range.

Everyone that works here pays rent and bills with what they make.  We're going on almost a year without any core people leaving.

My goal is to make miniatures painting like any other profession-- that a single breadwinner can support a family (if that's what is wanted), buy a home, have insurance and some of the niceties of life.  And hold his (or her) head high.

Remember: $1500 is a start.  I'm sure some people will turn their nose up at it.  But somewhere out there is a go-getter who is willing to lay it on the line for our collective dream; willing to pull weight and get the job done.

How do you think any of these great companies started?  How is Rackham doing nowadays?  How about Privateer Press?  And GW?  Did anyone make their fortune there?  How did they start out?  How hard is it to get hired there now? 

As I mentioned in a previous post: I pay the maximum amount possible while still staying in business.  If we have extra money at the end of the month, that goes into solidifying our market share and improving the infrastructure of the studio.  After that, it goes into improving payroll-- I recently increased the pay of almost every painter.

Shawn G.

Posted By Elusive71 on 02/01/2007 1:44 PM
Tempting. It'd be a big pay cut for me, but I could use a change of scenery. Plus I could get the inside scoop on that top-secret dipping action!

Ha!  I am still getting flak for the secrecy of the *glazing* technique.  It's all taken in good humor...

Yeah, almost everyone here took a paycut to work here.  Some moved from across the country.  Even I'm making a significant amount less running the studio than I made as a soloist painter.

Recently, a painter was offered a job at a relative's trucking company for $25 an hour.  He turned it down cold.  Nothing beats job satisfaction.

My secret evil plan is to get both (for myself and those that work here).  What if you could get the necessities (and niceties) of life but still work with miniatures battles stuff all day?  That's the dream.  To some extent we're living it now: I've been paying my rent on time with this for three years and I'm doing the exact same thing that I'd do if I were on vacation!

Dream + busted knuckles + long hours = Reality

Look how far we've come.  Three years ago I was sweating it out solo in my garage.  Now we're in a really nice air-conditioned studio with seven people full time.  It used to be the offices of a law firm.

Oh, and I just put up an updated studio tour (front half of the studio).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uG52e9k0lU (warning: the audio lags-- we're working on this)

I'm not coming to you with hat in hand, begging for kindness to please work with us.  I've raised a banner and I'm looking for a hardened warriors to join us on a quest! 

Shawn G.

BTP's just become an AdeptiCon sponsor, and they seem like a great team.  For anyone who wants to know a bit more about BTP, Shawn's been kind enough to do a full AdeptiCon Sponsor Spotlight.  You can download it from the link below.

http://www.adepticon.org/files/07btpspotlight.pdf

There was actually a lot more to the interview that I had to cut due to space constraints...suffice it to say that I was very impressed. 

Shawn-


Oooooohhhhh, bitz wall! I want one. I want one.

Seriously though, I can't say I've ever seen a small mini company have a "studio tour". Very interesting and insightful. You have a very clean, tidy and professional looking office - something that not many small companies (or large ones) have. It's a good first impression.

My take on a few of the points brought up here (not necessarily directed at Shawn):

Smoking: I agree with what Iorek said. Seriously it's not like some guy's gonna be sitting in his office smoking like a stack all day and since there are private to semi-private offices to work in, a smoker's smell shouldn;t really bother anyone. Also, it shouldn;t affect the company because you aren;t paying medical bills for a smoking -related illnesses. However, it's something that happens A LOT in corporate america nowadays, like credit and drug tests. Personally, as long as it doesn;t affect an employee's performance or the company's, what an employee does or does not do in their freetime should be their own business.

Pay: At $1500, if the person is working 40 hrs/wk, that's about $9-10/hr. Seriously, in modern america, if you're an artist, that's a good salary. I currently live in an artists-in-residence apt. building in Chicago and rent is about $600/month for a studio. I pay about $800 for a 1 BD. That's an average rent for the north side for an apartment. Now, I'm no artist, but I know a few who just barely scrape by every month, the majority having some type of PT job as well. $700 for a 2 BD is cheap! I'm sure that cost-of-living is also signifigantly cheaper. Does it suck that it's not more money? Sure, but there are a lot of people in the US today who make EVEN LESS and aren;t doing something they love....

After some half assed research, it appears that Utah statute would allow discriminatory hiring based on smoking. It, like most states, is an "At will" state, meaning a person can be denied a job or fired for any reason other than belonging to protected class (race, sex, religion, etc.) All Blue Table is doing is citing a preference, rather than allowing somebody to move to utah, rent an apartment, and then get fired two days later when they find out they smoke.

heheh
I hear tins of minwax are highly flamable, so no smoking!

Posted By bluetablepainting on 02/01/2007 12:23 PM

.  I have my reasons for not bringing on people who smoke, I'm sure anyone can guess why.

Shawn G.

No I can't guess why.

Possible reasons:

1. Nicotine smoke sticks to EVERYTHING it touches, and can yellow or discolor it as well. SOLUTION: Smoke outside.

2. Having to smoke outside will take time away from the painting process. SOLUTION: Unpaid breaks. Every state I've worked in mandates breaks for full time employess anyway, paid or unpaid is up to the employer.

3. Dirty hands (see #1). SOLUTION: Any smoking painter knows about this risk. Those knowledgable and skilled enough to be professionals, will take enough pride in their work (especially when on commisioned work) to wash their hands before handling a model.

4. Increased risks of smokers incurring health care costs. SOLUTION: You don't pay for health benefits, anyway.

I really don't see any valid reason to discriminate against smokers.

Well let me speak in defense of btp

not that he needs me to but as a business owner, id like to say something

if he chooses not to hire that is his right to do so based on whatever criteria he sets forth.
Is that going to please everyone no. But it is the standard for which he has set his hiring criteria

if that bothers you then the solution is simple dont apply to work there. no one is forcing you no one asked you to comment on his hiring search

i find it in very bad taste for you to jump on him based on his hiring practices

Posted By Lordhat on 02/01/2007 9:46 PM

I really don't see any valid reason to discriminate against smokers.

 

I can think of a few.

 

1)  Smokers stink.  As an ex-smoker I seem to particularly sensitive to the stench and don't like to be anywhere near someone who has lit up recently.

2)  It's a hard habit to quit.  Being in a smoke free enviornment makes it much easier to avoid the temptations of returning to the habit.

3)  Smokers are often slobs.  Many think the world is their ashtray and litter the ground with cellophane wrappers, empty boxes and butts.  Unless someone cleans up daily, outdoor smoking areas become filthy with trash.

4)  Smokers tend to be sick more often.  People who are absent can't make money for the business.

 

I'm sure there are other reasons, but these were some that came to mind.

There are a lot of reasons why you don't hire a smoker, and a lot of them have been listed. I am allergic to smoke, and the guy in the next cubicle is a smoker. Even though he smokes 11 floors down on the street level, when he comes back to work I start to cough, wheeze, and my nose runs.

  But my guess is that the reason why he does not allow smoking is because he is in the southern part of <st1:place><st1:placename>Happy</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place>.  That is the most conservative part of <st1:state><st1:place>Utah</st1:place></st1:state>, and smoking is frowned upon. And please people, don’t go on a rant about it.

  If I was a lot younger I would jump at the chance to work there. The pay is really good for a starting job up there. I lived my first few years in <st1:state><st1:place>Utah</st1:place></st1:state> all by myself making about that much money.

  Have you posted flyers at all of the local stores yet? Blakfyre, Games people play, Haster Hobbies etc? Maybe the art classes at BYU or UVCC?

  And <st1:state><st1:place>Utah</st1:place></st1:state> is a great place to live. If you like outdoor activities, it is awesome. Down side is that it is rather boring. But once I got use to the bordom, it was a lot of fun. I plan on moving back there some day.  

Posted By The Drop Zone on 02/01/2007 10:19 PM
Well let me speak in defense of btp

not that he needs me to but as a business owner, id like to say something

if he chooses not to hire that is his right to do so based on whatever criteria he sets forth.
Is that going to please everyone no. But it is the standard for which he has set his hiring criteria

if that bothers you then the solution is simple dont apply to work there. no one is forcing you no one asked you to comment on his hiring search

i find it in very bad taste for you to jump on him based on his hiring practices

If i came across as "jumping" on him i apologize. My intent was to debate rationally, and not flame, however as a smoker (if you couldn't guess by now) I AM  a bit tired of the discrimination I receive on a daily basis. I don't want to derail this thread, but if anybody wants to debate that point, make a new thread and I'll argue till you're blue in the face.

 

Posted By Arstahd on 02/01/2007 10:32 PM

I can think of a few.

 

1)  Smokers stink.  As an ex-smoker I seem to particularly sensitive to the stench and don't like to be anywhere near someone who has lit up recently.

2)  It's a hard habit to quit.  Being in a smoke free enviornment makes it much easier to avoid the temptations of returning to the habit.

3)  Smokers are often slobs.  Many think the world is their ashtray and litter the ground with cellophane wrappers, empty boxes and butts.  Unless someone cleans up daily, outdoor smoking areas become filthy with trash.

4)  Smokers tend to be sick more often.  People who are absent can't make money for the business.

 

1) Conceded. Whether this applies is not known.

2) ALSO Conceded, but wheter it would be a smoke free environment was NEVER in doubt.

3) POEPLE are slobs, whether they're a smoker or not makes NO difference. If' someone would be a slob on the porch, they'd be a slob in the luch room too. This is pure stereotyping, no different than saying "Black people are often lazy." Don't insult my intelligence.

4) Find me proof that Smokers tend to be sick more often. I bet you can't. (but please, post in another thread, once done here I'll give this topic back)

 

What I find MOST ironic, is that he listed non-smoker, but left out Drug, or Alchohol free, BOTH of which are more detrimental traits to being an employee (of ANY business) that just being a smoker.

 

Once again Sorry about jacking this thread, as I stated above I'm done de-railing.

 

EDIT one last thing..

"Even though he smokes 11 floors down on the street level, when he comes back to work I start to cough, wheeze, and my nose runs."

UM EVRYONE ALIVE is allergic to cigarette smoke. IT'S A TOXIN. I also cough, wheeze, and get a runny nose.

Done.

I must admit, I am very interested !!!

All I have to do is convince my wife & 2 kids that Moving to Utah would be a good thinhg (I live in England !!)

Posted By Lordhat on 02/01/2007 9:46 PM

Posted By bluetablepainting on 02/01/2007 12:23 PM

.  I have my reasons for not bringing on people who smoke, I'm sure anyone can guess why.

Shawn G.

I really don't see any valid reason to discriminate against smokers.

How about he doesn't want to be around smokers?  He's a private businessman, not a government official and he's not trying to get smoking banned by Congress.  I seriously doubt you are intending on applying for a job and moving to Utah, so your arguing is specius anyway.  Nobody here has any right to work for this guy or to smoke, so let it go.

Let the poor man hire without derailing his thread with smoking issues.

For the record boys and girls: smoking is a little bit of a hot button issue, and has nothing to do with News or Rumours... Please keep it civil, ok?

And we'll be deleting any more smoking discussion or off-topic goofiness.

Thanks.

-The Mgmt.

Just a quick comment on Blue Table, and Shawn in particular...

I had them do my first project in December, and have been in pretty regular contact with them ever since. They have been nothing but professional concerning my projects, and generally a pleasure to deal with. I even find myself checking his blog daily to see what they're up to.

In short, Shawn seems like he would be a great guy to work for, and if I had seen an opportunity like this 10 years ago, I'd have jumped on it with both feet. So, if there are any young painters who may be considering this and are on the fence, I'd just like to give my $0.02 and encourage them to go for it!

Thanks,

Jim

Here's an email I got this morning from a painter at Reaper --Shawn G.

Heya! 
   
  My name is Anne Foerster and I'm the Staff Painter for Reaper
Miniatures, Inc. here in Texas.  I would have posted this on the forum at
Dakka (unfortunately I don't have an ID on there) but just wanted to send
you a quick CONGRATS!  As someone who went the freelance painter route
back in 2002 and landed the painting position at Reaper in 2003, I am
very impressed with the progress you guys have made in making this a
"real job".  Your professional attitude and environment is top-notch, and I
have to say that your starting pay is right in line with what I was
hired on with at Reaper.    So if you want to quote my email in that
thread in response to the people saying that you're not paying enough: 
guys, it's actually the pay you'd expect in this job.  Nope, not gonna
get rich.  But can I pay my bills?  Yep.  And do I love my job?  You
bet!!!!!!!
  
  Too bad I'm buying a house down here this year, or you guys might
have tempted me.   It's all about adventure!
  
  Thanks again for having such a splended attitude about the hobby as a
profession,
  
  Anne Foerster
  Reaper Miniatures, Inc.
  Lead Staff Painter, Paint Line Designer - Reaper Master Series Paints

Define three full armies, if you would.
Aprox how many minis is that? Are we talking Warhammer Fantasy size armies or Warmachine size.
What do you want the applicant (should he/she be granted an interview) to bring with them to the inerview? Exampes of work I'm assuming. Much like a portfolio?

And if I may I'd suggest dropping the smoking requirement to apply. You don't have to hire a smoker and you don't have to tell them why you didn't hire them even if they ask. It's not an unreasonable thing to base your hiring decision on but it pays to be subtle.

Zubbie, the rest of it is on-topic, but if you want to discuss smoking/non-smoking in more general terms, you can do it in the Off Topic forums or start a brief OT thread in Discussions.

I'm very flexible with the three armies thing.  I'm looking for a general skill at painting figures, but also the ability to plan out and theme an army. 

After all, a full time painter at Blue Table will complete 100-200 projects in the first year, probably about 20-40 of them being full armies.  The rate of improvement is drastic.  There is a "hardness" and dedication to do this as a full-time profession.  (ergo the "held a full time job for a year" thing). 

Also, someone asked if one gets burned out painting all day.  I've not found that to be the case with myself or other staff.  It's like Turkish Delight-- the more you eat, the more you want.  I will often come down on a Saturday or work an 8pm-12pm shift just to get some of my personal projects done.

The difference is that there is a measure of satisfaction to be had with the regular work as well.  I used to sneak army books into my meetings.  I was thinking about it all day and I couldn't wait to get off work and start painting.

Sometimes my fingers get sore!

Shawn G.

Fair enough.
You want folks that are as passionate as you.
Good luck. They're few and far between.
Keep up the good work.
You're making us all better.